Ivan Vyrodkov
Encyclopedia
Ivan Grigoryevich Vyrodkov was a Russia
n military engineer
, inventor, and diak.
Ivan Vyrodkov's name was first mentioned in 1538. It is known that he participated in Ivan the Terrible's military campaigns against Kazan
, during the Russo-Kazan Wars
. In 1551, Ivan Vyrodkov was in charge of the construction of Sviyazhsk
- a wooden fortress near Kazan that he would build in 28 days. This would serve as a strong point for the capture of the city by the Muscovite army.
In 1552, he supervised the fortification works during the siege of Kazan, and is credited for constructing a 12 metre high siege tower
in just one night. Although older siege towers had been made obsolete by the advancement of artillery, Vyrodkov made a revolutionary alteration to the design: this new type of siege engine
is more accurately described as a "battery-tower", as it was built for the bombardment of the city, able to hold ten large-calibre cannon
and 50 lighter cannon. This allowed a concentration of artillery fire on a section of the wooden wall or city, which played a crucial role in shattering Tatar resistance. Nonetheless, it is certain that the few cannon defending Kazan would first have to have been put out of action in order for the tower to be effective, as it would otherwise have been an obvious target for any remaining artillery.
After the war, in 1557, Vyrodkov built a fortress and a harbor
at the mouth of the Narva River
and a fort in Galich
. In 1563, Vyrodkov commanded the so called pososhniye lyudi
(recruits) during a military campaign against Polotsk. He is supposed to have been executed by the Russian authorities for an unknown reason.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n military engineer
Military engineer
In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
, inventor, and diak.
Ivan Vyrodkov's name was first mentioned in 1538. It is known that he participated in Ivan the Terrible's military campaigns against Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
, during the Russo-Kazan Wars
Russo-Kazan Wars
thumb|300px|[[St. Basil's Cathedral]] is a monument to the Russian conquest of Kazan in 1552.The Russo-Kazan Wars was a series of wars fought between the Khanate of Kazan and Muscovite Russia from 1438, until Kazan was finally captured by Ivan the Terrible and absorbed into Russia in 1552.- Wars of...
. In 1551, Ivan Vyrodkov was in charge of the construction of Sviyazhsk
Sviyazhsk
Sviyazhsk or Zöyä is a rural locality in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, located at the confluence of the Volga and Sviyaga Rivers...
- a wooden fortress near Kazan that he would build in 28 days. This would serve as a strong point for the capture of the city by the Muscovite army.
In 1552, he supervised the fortification works during the siege of Kazan, and is credited for constructing a 12 metre high siege tower
Siege tower
A siege tower is a specialized siege engine, constructed to protect assailants and ladders while approaching the defensive walls of a fortification. The tower was often rectangular with four wheels with its height roughly equal to that of the wall or sometimes higher to allow archers to stand on...
in just one night. Although older siege towers had been made obsolete by the advancement of artillery, Vyrodkov made a revolutionary alteration to the design: this new type of siege engine
Siege engine
A siege engine is a device that is designed to break or circumvent city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare. Some have been operated close to the fortifications, while others have been used to attack from a distance. From antiquity, siege engines were constructed largely of wood and...
is more accurately described as a "battery-tower", as it was built for the bombardment of the city, able to hold ten large-calibre cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
and 50 lighter cannon. This allowed a concentration of artillery fire on a section of the wooden wall or city, which played a crucial role in shattering Tatar resistance. Nonetheless, it is certain that the few cannon defending Kazan would first have to have been put out of action in order for the tower to be effective, as it would otherwise have been an obvious target for any remaining artillery.
After the war, in 1557, Vyrodkov built a fortress and a harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
at the mouth of the Narva River
Narva River
The Narva is a river flowing into the Baltic Sea, the largest river in Estonia. Draining Lake Peipsi, the river forms the border of Estonia and Russia and flows through the towns of Narva/Ivangorod and Narva-Jõesuu into Narva Bay. Though the river is only 77 km long, in terms of volume...
and a fort in Galich
Galich, Russia
Galich is a town in Kostroma Oblast, Russia, situated on the southern bank of Lake Galichskoye. It is also a minor railroad node of the Trans-Siberian railway. Population: -History:...
. In 1563, Vyrodkov commanded the so called pososhniye lyudi
Pososhniye lyudi
The Pososhniye lyudi was a collective name for the conscripts in the Russian army of the 16th-17th centuries, called up for military service from each sokha . The term pososhnaya sluzhba first appeared at the turn of the 15th century...
(recruits) during a military campaign against Polotsk. He is supposed to have been executed by the Russian authorities for an unknown reason.
Sources
- Russian Fortresses, 1480–1682, Osprey PublishingOsprey PublishingOsprey Publishing is an Oxford-based publishing company specializing in military history. Predominantly an illustrated publisher, many of their books contain full-colour artwork plates, maps and photographs, and the company produces over a dozen ongoing series, each focusing on a specific aspect of...
, ISBN 1-84176-916-9<